Chapter 271: The Fifteenth of the Seventh Month |
Su Wangchuan walked into Su Wan’s office.
The moment he stepped through the door, he asked,
“What is the situation on Red Moon’s side now? What is the official stance?”
He had received Su Wan’s phone call while watching the news. She said there were matters to discuss, so he hurried over to find out the authorities’ attitude.
Su Wan folded her arms across her chest. Her expression was somewhat complicated, as if she were pondering something. She stared at him for a long while before finally speaking.
“As for Red Moon Studio, the authorities have already expressed their position. A reasonable announcement will follow. Most likely, the news about 《spirit realm》 will continue to be sealed off.”
“Can it really be sealed?”
Su Wangchuan let out a cold laugh. “In the commercial district, many people recorded too much footage. It has already gone viral on Douyin!”
“Do not worry. It only has some limited popularity locally.”
“Videos like that are blocked by big data almost immediately. The algorithms have already been adjusted to give this kind of information the highest-priority suppression. Its spread has already been restricted. Next will come the official debunking.”
“You can sit.”
She gestured for Su Wangchuan to take a seat. Then she changed the subject.
“Last night, thank you for stepping in. Otherwise, Land-Clearing Team Two would have been completely wiped out. The studio would have suffered a huge loss, and I would not have been able to escape responsibility.”
Su Wangchuan had temporarily arranged for a team to garrison Blackstone Village and personally led reinforcements there. His timely response had eliminated a disaster for the Warring States Game Studio, which left her deeply grateful.
“You do not need to thank me. Instead, you can tell me something I do not know—about spirit realm.”
Su Wangchuan fixed his gaze on Su Wan’s eyes.
What truly attracted him were the many pieces of intelligence and secrets the studio possessed.
Su Wan pondered for a moment before speaking.
“There are countless things in 《spirit realm》 that you do not know. What exactly do you want to know about… Actually, forget it. I will tell you about the recent movements of the major studios.”
“It is April now.”
Su Wan gazed into the distance at the cluster of skyscrapers outside.
“In three months, it will be the fifteenth day of the seventh month. On that date last year, certain events occurred in 《spirit realm》 that caused many people of the Jianghu and numerous players to die. You should begin preparing early.”
“The fifteenth day of the seventh month?”
Su Wangchuan was momentarily stunned.
“I have a player under me who came from another studio. He mentioned that date to me as well. What kind of day is it exactly?”
“It is not a good day.”
A bitter expression appeared on Su Wan’s face.
“Our Warring States Game Studio once had two veteran players who died on that day… And some people from other major studios died as well. It is said that among them were quite a few experts who had already gained a certain reputation in the Jianghu, with cultivation levels at the Fourth Rank and Fifth Rank.”
…
Su Wangchuan felt a chill in his heart.
Fourth Rank. Fifth Rank.
In 《spirit realm》, those were already extremely formidable existences.
He remembered that the strongest martial artist he had encountered so far was the Crimson Pavilion Silver-Ranked assassin who had attacked the Imperial Envoy. That person’s martial skill had been extraordinary—charging through enemy lines, cutting down foes like grass.
Yet even someone like that could not escape death?
Seeing the confusion in Su Wangchuan’s eyes, Su Wan took a deep breath and explained,
“In fact, the fifteenth day of the seventh month is traditionally the day when the Gate of Ghosts is said to open. But within spirit realm, it seems to have been given another meaning. At that time, something extremely terrifying will occur within the Jianghu. Of course, only a small number of people will encounter it.”
…
Su Wangchuan frowned.
“What do you mean only a small number of people will encounter it?”
“At least last year, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, within our Warring States Game Studio’s Land-Clearing Team, only those two veteran members encountered it.”
“Before they died, did they not tell you what they had experienced?”
Su Wangchuan immediately pointed out the flaw in Su Wan’s statement.
Whenever someone died inside 《spirit realm》, they should still have time in the real world to explain what had happened.
Even if those two refused to speak, someone from another studio—or perhaps the military or the government—should have revealed something.
However, Su Wan answered without changing her expression.
“No.”
“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, those who die in 《spirit realm》 do not get the chance to log out of the game… Without exception, they all die instantly on the spot.”
…
In an instant, cold sweat crawled down Su Wangchuan’s back.
Why?
The opening of the Gate of Ghosts?
Could something so bizarre truly exist?
Knowing he would not understand, Su Wan continued explaining.
“Actually, since the first year we entered 《spirit realm》, strange incidents have occurred on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. Some players from certain studios mysteriously died in their own rooms. When it happened, they were wearing gaming helmets and lying on their beds. The scenes were horrifying.”
…
Su Wangchuan listened quietly without interrupting.
Su Wan continued.
“Our studio has already passed through three fifteenth days of the seventh month within 《spirit realm》. In the first year, none of us died. In the second year, there were still none—but rumors had already begun circulating within the industry. At that time, nobody paid much attention. Everyone believed they were accidents… until last year.”
“Last year, two of our veteran players died. That loss seriously weakened our Warring States Game Studio. Only then did we begin investigating everywhere for information.”
“And afterward, even the authorities began taking it seriously. Because every year, many martial artists die mysteriously on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.”
Su Wan’s expression was far from calm.
“According to official statistics, during the second year there were already more than a hundred cases within our country alone.”
“But last year, that number rose to more than seven hundred! Almost every studio encountered such incidents, and among the dead were powerful experts.”
…
The official statistics made Su Wangchuan shudder.
Every year on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the number of dead players increased severalfold.
No wonder people had grown increasingly wary of that date.
Instant death without discrimination, leaving behind no information at all—it truly sent chills down one’s spine.
The unknown was always the most terrifying.
At this point, Su Wan sighed, her tone heavy.
“According to official statistics and predictions, this year’s fifteenth day of the seventh month may bring large-scale casualties.”
“If the death rate keeps rising, why are they still accelerating the promotion of 《spirit realm》? Is it really worth sacrificing so many people just to protect those big figures at the top?”
Su Wangchuan could not help growing angry. His gaze gradually sharpened.
Su Wan silently met his eyes and said,
“The promotion of 《spirit realm》 is an unstoppable trend. How can you be certain that if we do not gradually promote it this way, it will not spread on its own?”
“How can you be certain that this danger will not descend upon us in an even more absurd and terrifying way?”
Su Wangchuan was left speechless by her questions.
He had never considered that possibility.
Yes.
An unknown existence capable of controlling global leaders… a mysterious force resembling a blood contract that could bind the soul.
Did it really have to descend upon Earth in the form of a gaming helmet?